Muffler and propeller assembly for internal combustion engines



Sept. 8, 1931. 1,822,272

MUFFLER AND PROPELLER ASSEMBLY FOR INTERNAL coilsusnon ENGINES A. M. DECKER Filed Dec.-- 5, 1929 Y u u R T o m H mm A l .a m fl Y B WITNESSES 56m Patented Sept. 8, 1931 UNITED ,STATESPATENT OFFICE ABRAM M. DECKER, or arm BANK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF T AMOS 'r.

DWIGHT, or nnn BANK, NEV] JERSEY MUFFLER AND PROPELLER ASSEMBLY FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Application filed December 3, 1929. Serial No. 411,347.

This invention relates to muflier and propeller assemblies for internal combustion engines.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a novel and improved propeller shafting assembly especially designed for outboard motors.

A further'object of the present invention is to provide an assembly of the class de-' scribed adapted to be used in connection with the conventional type inboard motor for rendering the motor operable as an outboard motor.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved propeller shafting assembly for marine engines, which includes improved clutch mechanism for associat on with the drive shaft of the engine and which further includes a housing adapted to be used as an under-water exhaust for the engine.

Other objects of the present invention include the combination and interrelation of parts, whereby the whole forms a light, efficient structure readily designed for asso- 2 ciation with conventional types of inboard motors whereby they may be arranged adj acent the water for use as outboard motors.

Other objects of the present invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a boat partly broken away to disclose the motor and shafting assembly of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail vertical section of one form of the present invention;

Fig.3 is a sectional view taken on lines moved on the brackets 12 to move the propeller 14 from the water so that the propeller is free to rotate at high speed without causing a load on the engine, it being understood that in such position, the motor is substantially horizontal, being actuated by the lever 15, so that the motor may be warmed up without load on the motor. The specific mounting of the motor here shown forms no part of the present invention. Reference may be had to my co-pending application, Serial No. 410,7 66, filed November 30, 1929, which discloses in detail the motor mounting and in which claims directed to the mounting are ineluded.

"Referring more particularly to Fig. 2 of the drawings, the rear portion of the motor housing is indicated by the numeral 16. The motor drive shaft is indicated at 17 and ineludes, as also seen in Fig. 4, a cup-shaped clutch element 18, which element is provided with inwardly extending teeth 19, which are adapted to be received between external teeth 20 of the clutch element 21 of the propeller shaft 22. The forward edge of the teeth 20 of the clutch element 21 is tapered as shown in the drawings, to provide for ready reception thereof between the internal extending teeth 19 of the clutch element 18. The clutch element 21 is secured for rotation with the propeller shaft 22, by any suitable means, such as a key. It will be seen that the housing 16 is recessed to provide for free rotation of the cup clutch element 18, which is preferably keyed to the motor shaft 17. The propeller shaft extends longitudinally through the propeller shaft casing, which will be hereinafter described, the casing being provided with roller and thrust bearings 23 and 24, re-

spectively. For preventing end thrust of the shaft 22, an integral collar 24 is provided which bears against the rear thrust bearings 24 between them and the front roller bearings 23, the arrangement being such that the integral projection of the shaft locks the same against longitudinal movement by its mounting with respect to the bearings as shown. The propeller shaft extends from the clutch I element 21 through the rear of the shaft casing and the propeller 14 is secured toits rear end by suitable means, such as the nut 25. In connection with the invention, it will be understood that the specific mounting of the propeller shaft or hearing arrangements and the securement of the clutch elements to the shafts, as well as the securement of the propeller to the shaft, is here shown merely by way of illustration, but that the invention is not confined to such specific details. In connection with the clutch elements, it will be understood that the present invention may include any suitable reduction gearing, it being usual to provide reduction gearing between the inboard type of motor here disclosed and the propeller. The invention, however, is not confined to the use of such reduction gearing, nor :is it confined to any specific inboard motor or to any particular type of reduction gearing. Any conventional form of reduction gearing maybe used without departing from "the spirit of :the invention.

The casing of the propeller shaft, indicated by the numeral 26, is preferably formed of aluminum or other light durable metal, and includes a central bore which receives the shaft 22. The bore is provided with recesses,

. as shown, for the reception of the roller bearings. The forward end of the casing is provided with a collar 27, formed of brass or other hard metal, the collar being secured to the casing by bolts 28 and being adapted to be secured to the motor housing .16 by bolts 29, the arrangement being such that a readily removable watertight juncture is formed'for F securing the casing to the motor housing.

The rear end of the casing is provided with a threadedly secured collar 30 of brass or other suitable metal, with which is associated .a packing nut 31 adapted'to preven't'the entrance of water into the casing-and around the propeller shaft. As seen in Fig. 3, the lower side of the casing is cut out, as at 82, to form a depending keel 33, the cut-out :portion 32 rendering the casing extremely light and providing for minimum water resistance thereof. The upper sideof the'casingis provided with a longitudinally extending bore 34L, the forward end of which terminates in an aperture'35 of the casing with which is'associated anexhaust connection 36 of the motor. The rear end of the bore 34 opens through an aperture 37, which, when the device is in the operative'ti-lted position'shown in Fig. 1, will be under water, the arrangement being such that a longitudinally-extending exhaust bore is provided in the casing, the open end of which communicates with the water, whereby a novel water muflier for the motor is provided.

From the foregoing it will readily be seen that the present invention provides a novel and improved propeller assembly, including a readily detachable propeller shaft and casing therefor, the casing being designed to be associated with a conventional inboard motor so that the motor may be converted for outboard use. The casing further provides a novel under-water exhaust for the motor. It will be understood that the invention is not confined to the specific structural details herein presented, but that numerous changes,

modifications, and the full use of equivalents may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as outlined in the appended claims.

IVhat is claimed is:

l. .A propeller shaft casing, including a longitudinally extending centrally bored body adapted to receive the propeller shaft, and said body having a longitudinally extending exhaust bore adapted to convey exhaust gases to be discharged from said casing under the surface of the water.

2. Ina device of the character described, a propeller and propeller shaft therefor, a casing for said shaft, means for uniting said casing with a motor housing in water-tight relation, means for uniting said shaft for rotation with a motor shaft, bearings in said casing for said propeller shaft, and a. projection on said shaft for retaining said shaft against longitudinal movement with respect to said casing, said casing having a longitudinally extending exhaust passage opening upwardly at each end, whereby whenin tilted operative position, exhaust gases may be conveyed from an associate motor to be dis charged under the surface of the water.

3. A propeller shaft casing having a longitudinally extending exhaust discharge pas- ;sage in an integral portion of said casing whose opposite ends open upwardly of the casing.

4. A propeller shaft casing having a longitudinally extending exhaust discharge passage in an integral portion of said casing whose opposite ends open upwardly of the casing, and a longitudinally extending portion on the underside of said casing constituting a keel therefor.

.5. A propeller assembly .for marine motors including a propeller, a shaft on which the propeller is mounted, and an elongated housing surrounding said shaft, said housing-having an integral formation constituting a heel therefor when the propeller is submerged.

ABRAM M. DECKER. 

